The Sweetness of Divine Meditation

The Puritans used various 'means' including meditation to keep their faith alive. Their greatest desire was to live all their lives as Christians, to breathe Christ, to Walk as Christ, to live Christ. They desired that all they did was Biblical, to the best of their ability. The believed it was their duty to meditate on Gods Word The Scripture. William Bridge encourages meditation during the spare time of life, what he refers to as life's margins. As a page of a book had margins so did Christians have some free time in their days. This time in the day was perfect for meditation on God. Joel Beeke, author of A Puritan Theology, Doctrine for Life, describes two types of Meditation practiced by the Puritans; Deliberate Meditaion and Occassional Meditation. Deliberate Meditation is a time daily set aside to Pray, Study the Scripture, Meditate on the Word and Write. Occassional Meditation is meditation that was done whenever there is some inspiration. For instance often when taking a walk with my dog I will notice something beautiful that is part of God's Creation and meditation on some Scripture, such as John 1:1,2 Anything in daily life could be used to call the Lord to mind for meditation. Meditation can be done with original Godly thoughts, Scripture or portions of books that I have read. I find meditation to be the best means there is in my life to keep my mind on God whenever I am troubled or anytime I am struck by creation or other provisions , providence of God. For me personally, Nature is the most attractive source there is of subjects for Meditation. I can ponder Christ's creation of our world and all that is in it, immediately my mind becomes occupied by better thoughts than those of worry or sorrow. One of my favorite portions of God's word to think of when pondering nature Is John 1:1,2.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was was in the beginning with God, All things were made by Him; And without Him was anything made that was made. ~ John 1:1,2

Among other Puritan Works on Meditation, One I enjoy very much is The Sweetness of Divine Meditation by Puritan William Bridge. He makes meditation seem beautifully attractive and I am learning more and more that when I have difficulty in my life, as I often do, It is truly soul soothing to meditate on God's Creation. This wbrings peaceful quiet to my mind to replace anxious or unhappy thoughts.

"As we are to meditate on the word, so we are also to meditate on the works of God – the work of creation, the work of providence, and the work of redemption. The works of God are sought out by all those who take pleasure in them. “I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands,” (Psalm 143:5)" The Sweetness of Divine Meditation by William Bridge, 1600-1670

How Firm a Foundation Part 3 Through the Fire

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

I need to say here, a few words about the Sovereinty of God. When you read this verse of the old hymn you must think--- what? "I only design" Did God really design my friend's suicide, the horrific accident a family has been in, a chronic painful 'invisible' illness--so someone might feel that others don't believe them... and maybe they don't. Did our loving God invent all this? Are we digging our way out of an abusive situation in our lives? Have all these things and just that really frustrating week.. God designed all these things to consume our dross and refine our gold? How is that? It is because our Lord, our maker, our husband, sees more than we do, His concern is His Son and those who believe on Him. His concern is on our eternity and because He sees us best, He knows just what trial is best for us. What to use to excercise us. This is what it is to have a God who is truly in charge. We don't get to pick our troubles any more than anyone else--but for us, our Soverign Lord has commanded all that happens to us or around us will not just happen it will have a desired outcome. First it will please the Lord to put this in our path so we can grow in our faith. Second eventually we may understand, and if we do not, eventually we will learn what it is to choose to trust our God, and not ourselves.

How Firm a Foundation Part 2, As Our Days are, So Shall be Our Strength

In every condition, in sickness, in heath, In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth; At home and abroad on the land, or the sea, As your days may demand, shall your strength ever be.

Those who went before us, just as we today have endured a lot of hardship, pain, sorrow and some even horror. The world is not a loving kind place, and none of us are untouched by it. Especially those who Christ loves. For if they hated Him, they shall also hate us.

What we find in Verse 2 of How Firm a Foundation is a truth from scripture that God promises to see to it we are able to get through each day no matter what the circumstances.

This to me is one of those promises that is truly hard to imagine. We really need to grasp it by faith and to understand that exactly what 'your strength' is may not be what we think. It is not that we'll always have stamina and strength and money to help us when a big awful happens or in a normal every day life. It is that we will have another kind of strength. We'll have the strength to believe for our day. For the need of each day that we are personally able to manage.

Like the Israelites in the wilderness we live on manna. We live on the daily of each day. Is a disaster near you? As Elizabeth Elliot, whose husband was martyred while they were on a mission trip, once said, "do the next thing". Or as the bible says "whatevery your hand finds to do, that do." Ecclesiastes 9:10

It is just that way sometimes we are so astounded at whatever is happening around us, from the mess kids make when Dad's in charge and we come home with the groceries, to managing the shop when everyone calls in sick, to the immediate needs when there is a sudden death or a catastrophe of some sort, even dealing with a malevolent horror if need be.

These are the daily conditions we live in. These are all things we need strength for.

So it is, do whatever there is that you can do, then rest in God's peace knowing that Your Father in heaven knows what you have need of before you even ask.

How Firm a Foundation-- On Perseverance of the Saints -- Part One

How Firm a Foundation Published by John Rippon 1787 (dissenter/separatist) attributed to possible writers: George Keith and Anne Steele This wonderful old hymn reflects on what is promised to the saint by God- "Never will I leave you, I will never forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 It clearly touches on the Puritan and Reformed tenet The Perseverance of the Saints. In 'How Firm a Foundation' the Lord is coming alongside the believer to assure that He will keep safe the faith that is trusted to Him, in any and all situations. A great comfort to those are uncertain in faith and worry about the future especially.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellant Word. What more can He say than to you He hath said, You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in heath, In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth; At home and abroad on the land, or the sea, As your days may demand, shall your strength ever be.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

E'en down to old age, all My people shall prove, My sovereign eternal unchangeable love; And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that to Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not , I will not desert to its foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

John Rippon, 1751-1836

* the lyrics are almost certain to be by Ann Steele. There is at least one book of her works on Amazon'

On the Assurance of God's Love to Us, Our Assurance of Grace

On the Topic of Assurance of Salvation. The concept is that God wants us to KNOW that we are His. That we are saved from all eternity and to spend our eternity with Him. This is such an important topic and it is something that has concerned Christians since the beginning of the faith. Here is something Jeremiah Burroughs said about this in "Gospel Reconciliation"

Here we see the infinite love of God, that He has been pleased think of us poor creatures from everlasting and make it HIs work to reconcile us to Himself And here is the foundation of the sweetness and comfort of all the mercies of God to those who are reconciled to HIm: they are the fruits of the eternal love of God for us. ~ Jeremiah Burroughs 1600-1646

The Truth About the Puritans

The early Calvinists and Puritans have often been described as dour prudish men who went around wearing black and looking for people to judge and punish. , a purposeful lie! If you want to know the Puritan heart, read the writings of the Puritans. Read their kind help to other Christians, their beautiful descriptions of God and this Nature which though ravishing cannot compare to the beauty of heaven. Nevermind the lying commentaries go to the source itself what they actually wrote! Why read slander when the truth is widely available? Here is a short poem by America's best known early poetess. One of the early settlers from the old world.

I wist not what to wish, yet sure, thought I, If so much excellence abide below, How excellent is He that dwells on high! Whose power and beauty by his works we know; Sure he is goodness, wisdom, glory, light, That hath this underworld so richly dight; More heaven than earth was here, no winter and no night.

written by Ann Bradstreet March 20, 1612 – September 16, 1672)

Excerpt from The Autobiography of George Müller ~ 1805 – 1898) Evangelist and director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. Well known for prayer, and believing prayer to finance his many ministries without ever asking for money or going into debt

My chief help is prayer. I have never in my life begun to study one single part of divine truth without gaining some light about it when I have been able really to give myself to prayer and meditation over it. But that I have often found a difficult matter, partly on account of the weakness of the flesh, and partly, also, on account of bodily infirmities and multiplicity of engagements. This I most firmly believe, that no one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labors in word and doctrine, if he is not much given to prayer and meditation.

The Lord is my Portion

>Excerpt from An Ark for All God's Noahs In a Gloomy Stormy Day by Thomas Brooks, 1666

There is not enough in the whole creation to content, quiet, or satisfy one immortal soul. He that has that most of the world would have more, and he that has least of the world has enough, if his soul can but groundedly say,

The Lord is my portion

On Prayer

'I thought on my ways,' says the devout and much experienced psalmist, 'and I turned my feet into Thy testimonies.' Let us be like him in this matter of prayer. Let us think on our ways in prayer. Let us think on the place that prayer holds in Holy Scripture, and on the place that prayer has always held in the lives of all God's outstanding people. Let us think of the urgency and the grace of God's commands laid on us to live a life of prayer. Let us think that the Almighty is actually waiting for us to begin to pray in order that He may begin to be gracious to us in answer to our prayers. Let us think how we must look in His eyes in this matter of prayer. Let us think what He must think and say to Himself about us. Let us think if we were in His place what we would think of any one who treated us and our son as we treat Him and His Son. We could not fail to cry to God for the spirit of grace and of supplication if we would only begin to think Who and What He is, and who and what we are, and what prayer is appointed by Him to be between Him and us.

Alexander Whyte 1836-1921

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. ~ Lamentations 3:24